* House Speaker Chris Welch…
With states across the country passing draconian bans on reproductive health care, House Democrats made it clear on Thursday that Illinois will always protect a person’s right to choose.
“Reproductive health care is under assault throughout this country,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “Today, House Democrats sent a clear message that people seeking health care won’t be criminalized, providers won’t be forced to abandon patients, and Illinois will remain a safe haven for anyone who needs reproductive health care.”
House Democrats passed House Bill 1464 which will ensure Illinois health care providers are not punished by other states’ cruel and oppressive laws because performing an abortion in Illinois is not a crime. The measure clarifies that a licensed doctor in Illinois cannot be disciplined in Illinois if another state suspends or revokes their license for participating in or performing an abortion. This bill protects doctors from these restrictive and unnecessary sanctions so they can continue to provide the vital health care Illinoisans need.
“Planned Parenthood Illinois Action is tremendously grateful for the leadership being shown today by Speaker Welch and other pro-choice leaders who are working to ensure that all Illinois residents have equitable access to the high-quality health care that Planned Parenthood of Illinois provides,” said Brigid Leahy, Vice President of Public Policy at Planned Parenthood Illinois Action. “It is crucial that Illinois remain a haven state in the Midwest because if Roe falls, every state that borders Illinois would quickly move to either ban or severely restrict abortion, forcing people to travel to a state like Illinois for the health care they need and deserve.”
“As abortion rights are attacked each week across the country, Illinois worked diligently to establish a fundamental right for all people to make every decision regarding their reproductive health care without government interference,” said Colleen Connell, Executive Director, ACLU. “The Illinois House of Representatives today reaffirmed that our state will not let others undermine this commitment. That message is welcome – for people in Illinois and those in other states who need to access health care, including abortion care.”
The House of Representatives also voted for a variety of resolutions that will reaffirm Illinois’ commitment to protecting reproductive health care for all. House Resolution 789 will bring further awareness to the importance of reproductive rights and promotes Illinois as a role model for other states as they strive toward full reproductive justice. House Resolution 790 is a strong reminder of Illinois’ support for the landmark legislation Roe v. Wade and House Resolution 94 urges the state to fully fund Planned Parenthood so that they can continue to perform essential reproductive and general health care services.
* Politico…
One woman was particularly notable among those voting against all four bills: Republican Rep. Avery Bourne, the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin, who associates say in the past has expressed support for abortion rights — and has stumbled more recently in explaining his views.
Not voting at all: Republican Rep. Tom Demmer, who’s running for state treasurer on the Irvin-Bourne slate backed by billionaire Ken Griffin; and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, an outspoken supporter of Griffin’s slate.
Rep. Dan Brady, who’s running for secretary of state in the Republican primary — without any help from Griffin — was a no on all four bills.
The most substantive bill was House Bill 1464, which says physicians and nurses who find their licenses challenged in other states because they performed or assisted in an abortion can’t be punished in Illinois for doing so if they’re otherwise qualified to practice here. Three resolutions called for expressing “unwavering support” and commitment for abortion rights, and support for the work of Planned Parenthood.
The bills prompted impassioned speeches from Democratic lawmakers, including Camille Lilly, who heads the Democrats’ women’s caucus, Margaret Croke, Dagmara Avelar, and Maura Hirschauer.
Republicans lost the battles on all four bills but they didn’t go down without a fight. Rep. Jackie Haas from Kankakee called one of the bills “out of touch.” And Rep. Tony McCombie from Sterling said another of the abortion rights-supporting measures does nothing to help communities “feel safer.”
* Dave Dahl…
“It’s incredibly frustrating,” said State Rep. Randy Frese (R-Paloma), “that instead of working on a plan that could provide relief, we waste our time debating resolutions such as this.”
“I don’t want to negate anything in regards to inflation,” said State Rep. Margaret Croke (pictured) (D-Chicago), 21 weeks pregnant. “But I don’t want to have to worry about dying in a back alley trying to get an abortion, and I think that’s pretty frickin’ important, and we need to make sure that we are funding places like Planned Parenthood, where women in this state can get those services.” Applause rose as she spoke.
Several Democrats spoke to propel resolutions in favor of preserving abortion rights. House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) bragged that the Democrats are the ones putting Illinois on the right track, as opposed to former Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, who, Welch said, “was destroyin’ this state.”
Ironically, it was Rauner who signed into law the Reproductive Health Act after telling supporters, including Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, that he wouldn’t.
* Meanwhile, a bill that was mentioned in yesterday’s Illinois House debate didn’t pass muster in Missouri…
A bill that would make it a felony to donate fetal tissue from abortions for research or therapies won first-round approval in the Missouri House Tuesday, but lawmakers blocked an effort to make it illegal to help a women obtain an abortion outside the state. […]
The only anti-abortion provision offered Tuesday that didn’t make it onto the final bill was a much-discussed proposal that aimed to limit women from seeking abortions outside Missouri. It would have made it illegal to perform or “aid or abet” an abortion for a Missouri resident — regardless of where the procedure occurs. It would provide exceptions in instances where the abortion is needed due to a life-threatening condition.
- JustWorryAboutControllingYourOwnBody - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:08 am:
“And Rep. Tony McCombie from Sterling said another of the abortion rights-supporting measures does nothing to help communities ‘feel safer.’”
Gee, I didn’t know I was entitled to bodily autonomy only when it made someone feel safer.
- Downstate - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:18 am:
I still have a real problem with Illinois Democrats having removed parental notification of minors seeking abortion.
If it’s illegal to engage in sex with a minor, then removing parental notification of an abortion for minor only serves to cover up a crime.
- the Hills 60010 - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:19 am:
““Reproductive health care is under assault throughout this country,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “Today, House Democrats sent a clear message that people seeking health care won’t be criminalized, providers won’t be forced to abandon patients, and Illinois will remain a safe haven for anyone who needs reproductive health care.””
Thankful.
- Arsenal - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:23 am:
==I still have a real problem with Illinois Democrats having removed parental notification of minors seeking abortion. ==
I actually understand this. It’s complicated, though, bc i’m not sure how much we want to allow parents to block someone’s exercise of their rights, and I know folks have covered the incest angle of this all before.
==If it’s illegal to engage in sex with a minor, then removing parental notification of an abortion for minor only serves to cover up a crime. ==
Um, but that doesn’t…actually logically follow.
- Friday - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:29 am:
Downstate, there needs to be a way to have exceptions to notifications, think of a situation where the father is an abuser. This might be an extreme example but there needs to be protections for young girls. Parents aren’t always loving, caring pr supportive human beings.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:30 am:
- Downstate -
Your continued comments in this arena regarding minors is terrible as you …mock victims of child molestation. It’s a continued wow.
To the post,
Two real things, “anyone but Irvin” and any abortion limiting would help sink Republicans *in Illinois*, so anytime Dems can make abortion an issue or make Republicans vote against abortion rights, that’s a good political angle.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:48 am:
** Bruce Rauner, a Republican, who, Welch said, “was destroyin’ this state.” **
Gee, if only the DPI and other party leaders could continually hammer home the messaging. This party apparently does not care very much about the most basic element of politics: communication. Does no one over there want to bust rump and do the hard work of narrative shaping? This party has a messaging goldmine in the former governor, president and party of no. The other party will take the worst situation and try to flip it around.
[tapping shoulder]
Illinois Democrat: aaaaaaaaaahhh [shout of fear with exclamation points]
Me: Hey sorry, didn’t mean to startle you, just wanted to ask you a question. Wow.
Illinois Democrat: Oh, sorry, I thought you were a Republican talking point, seeking to define me.
/r
- Cheryl44 - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:49 am:
I’m not advocating for minors having sex, but in general, they have it with each other. So I don’t know how we can even make that illegal.
- Arsenal - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:51 am:
==Gee, if only the DPI and other party leaders could continually hammer home the messaging.==
I…would not agree that Illinois Dems’ messaging failures include a lack of talking about Bruce Rauer.
- 20 foot Commuter - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:54 am:
OW, who is mocking child molestation? That part of your argument is pure nonsense, molesting a child is an actual crime that should be reported, a judge could then allow the abortion without parental notification.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 9:59 am:
- 20 foot Commuter -
Since it was directed at - Downstate -…
To the post,
When I think of someone like Rep. Brady and a voting record, the real issue is being on the record, it will be difficult if abortion is an issue to parse or try to reach out to moderate women with a record so fresh.
- The Real Downstate - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 10:00 am:
Not mentioned: Sue Scherer voting against all of these resolutions/bills. Not surprising, but still disappointed. Maybe it’s time Springfield/Decatur Dems finally put a progressive black man or woman in that seat.
- 20 foot Commuter - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 10:10 am:
- Springfield/Decatur Dems finally put a progressive black man or woman in that seat. -
Not likely to happen given so-called progressives don’t really represent downstate interests.
- opinions opinions - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 10:20 am:
Downstate and Friday:
It isn’t always “illegal” to engage in sex with a minor. To your point - if a person under 18 seeks an abortion and the doctor/abortion provider learns there may be abuse or some type of concern with the parents (such as the father is an abuser), that person is a mandatory reporter. It’s not covering up a crime, rather might be the only chance that person has to report or share the abuse.
- Downstate - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 10:26 am:
” if a person under 18 seeks an abortion and the doctor/abortion provider learns there may be abuse or some type of concern with the parents (such as the father is an abuser), that person is a mandatory reporter”
Absolutely agree. Those types of exceptions make sense.
- Leap Day William - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 10:32 am:
== Not likely to happen given so-called progressives don’t really represent downstate interests. ==
Last time these red rose ‘progressives’ tried to put someone up for office (for the IL-13 dem primary in 2020), they were shellacked 76-23 in deep blue CU, and even worse elsewhere. They really don’t represent downstate interests at all.
- The Real Downstate - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 10:44 am:
== Not likely to happen given so-called progressives don’t really represent downstate interests. ==
By “progressive” I guess I just meant “more progressive than someone who votes against things like the ERA and pro-choice bills.” In a double-digit Biden district like Scherer’s district, that isn’t a crazy ask.
- The Real Downstate - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 10:46 am:
Scherer’s new district was drawn to pack in as many Dems as possible. A pro-choice candidate would be representative of their voters.
- Pundent - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 10:50 am:
=That part of your argument is pure nonsense, molesting a child is an actual crime that should be reported, a judge could then allow the abortion without parental notification.=
This assumes that a young pregnant girl could “easily” report such a crime with no consequences or repercussions from the family that she would still be living with.
- Arsenal - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 11:57 am:
==Last time these red rose ‘progressives’ tried to put someone up for office (for the IL-13 dem primary in 2020), they were shellacked 76-23 in deep blue CU==
That candidate was not at all serious, though. Her top issue was sex workers rights (which, while laudable, is not much of a vote getter) and her team harrassed Londrigan at a public event. So, I don’t know if it’s much of a test case.
- cermak_rd - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 12:58 pm:
Parental notification can easily become parental permission. She tells her parents, her parents steal her money for the procedure or lock her in her room so she can’t get there. If forced by her parents to carry and bear the child she will now be charged with its care for the next 18 years (so well past the time of being a minor), which is often a one way track to poverty, or she can give it up for adoption after suffering the bodily effects of bearing it (and they aren’t trivial).
- Cosgrove - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 2:32 pm:
Rauner signed HB 40, not the RHA as Dahl stated. Governor Pritzker signed the RHA in 2919. Thank you Speaker Welch for your ongoing leadership!
- Just Wondering - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 3:16 pm:
==Maybe it’s time Springfield/Decatur Dems finally put a progressive black man or woman in that seat.==
Here’s some suggestions:
-Shawn Gregory (Springfield Ward 2 alderman),
-Lakeisha Purchase (Springfield Ward 5 alderwoman, formerly on Capital Township board)
-Gina Lathan (Scherer’s 2014 primary opponent)
-Winston Taylor (2012 primary opponent)
- Just Wondering - Friday, Apr 1, 22 @ 3:18 pm:
–Here’s some suggestions:
-Shawn Gregory (Springfield Ward 2 alderman),
-Lakeisha Purchase (Springfield Ward 5 alderwoman, formerly on Capital Township board)
-Gina Lathan (Scherer’s 2014 primary opponent)
-Winston Taylor (2012 primary opponent)–
Another suggestion could be Erica Austin (Springfield school board)